The Lovers of Montparnasse

The Lovers of Montparnasse (French:Les Amants de Montparnasse), also known as Montparnasse 19, is a 1958 French-Italian drama film chronicling the last year of the life of the Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani who worked and died in abject poverty in the Montparnasse Quarter of Paris, France.

It was originally directed by Max Ophüls, but he died of rheumatic heart disease while shooting interiors on the film, so his name was credited as dedicatee; his friend Jacques Becker took over after Ophüls's death and completed filming.

There are at least two versions of the film; the longer version is about 2 hours long and has more scenes featuring the character of Léopold Zborowski.

Location

Built on top of the Montparnasse – BienvenüeParis Métro station, the 59 floors of the tower are mainly occupied by offices. The 56th floor, with a restaurant called le Ciel de Paris, and the terrace on the top floor, are open to the public for viewing the city. The view covers a radius of 40km (25mi); aircraft can be seen taking off from Orly Airport. The guard rail, to which various antennae are attached, can be pneumatically lowered.

Criticism

The tower's simple architecture, large proportions and monolithic appearance have been often criticized for being out of place in Paris's urban landscape. As a result, two years after its completion the construction of buildings over seven stories high in the city center was banned.